Thank You
by Miyuusen
Summary: She's feeling lost, and he is there to help. In-verse, 18 years after the war. Established SasuHina. One-Shot.


**A/N:** It's been a while since I've updated any of my stories, but to say I am good and alive, here is a thanksgiving special~ I chose SasuHina for this story because I adore the pairing. If NaruHina fails in the canon plot, welp, I hope SasuHina will occur. _Happy Thanksgiving~ Even if your not in a country that celebrates._

**Summary:** She's feeling lost, and he is there to help. In-verse, 18 years after the war. Established SasuHina. One-Shot.

**Warning:** Tis a bit cheesy.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the cast of Naruto

* * *

Thank You

by Miyuusen

* * *

"_And then they all sat, their table filled with foods of all different kinds, foods like meats and vegetables, all of it oh-so impressive. Yet, the most impressive of all the glorious dishes was the centerpiece at the table: A large, roasted turkey that was cooked to perfection..."_

It was when she was smaller than she learned of the Western tradition of "Thanksgiving". She had read it in a book, the one her mother had given her the year before she died. It was a book Hinata Hyuuga treasured above the many other novels she owned. It told a tale of two groups of people, probably different clans, coming together in the end to help each other and establish trust. When she read the book, her eyes lighting up with child-like fascination, she found that she very much liked this tradition. It was something that she always wanted to do, growing up. All her life, she's been the one to lean on others for support, never really being able to repay her debts completely.

She wanted to give thanks to her loved ones. To tell her father that his constant watchful eye was something she appreciated, that her cousin Neji, with his willingness to never go easy on her, had been something she needed to learn to fight and she treasured that. She wished to tell her sister, Hanabi, who was a source of support on dreary days, that she would always be there for her and that she was so very grateful for the days of comfort and happiness that Hanabi had gifted her.

Yet, as she grew older, and her shyness, so painfully hard to beat, ruined her chances at asking for a thanksgiving dinner, she had given up on the idea. It was such a silly thing in the first place. Why would she want to celebrate something that wasn't in her culture? It was a silly thing.

Still, it was hard to fight the urge to ask this time around, especially when she found the book in her scrounging around. It was if fate was urging her to ask this of her family, to gather her two kids and husband and make them delicious foods, enough to stuff themselves, and then just talk all night, to enjoy each other's company. She longed for that, especially when her kids had found other activities to do that rivaled spending time with their mother. Her babies were all grown up and were already entering the Chunnin exams, already accepting missions and heading off into the world. Should she feel lonely? Forgotten?

No, she just felt lost.

Flipping the pages of the book, so old and tattered that it was a wonder it had survived this long, Hinata stood up from her place at the heart of boxes surrounding her in the storage room of the Uchiha compound. She had been feeling sentimental as of late, as if life was passing her by, so she found herself holding onto the past, determined to not be so lost. It was then she has found the book, the cover worn down to the point the title was , she took her finding and left the room, sliding boxes back in place with her foot as she left.

"Hinata," she heard as she was making her way to the training grounds in search of the owner of the voice. Spinning, she felt a natural smile flit it's way to her lips as she shyly kept her head bowed. She came face to face with her husband's chest as he wrapped an arm around her, comforting her instantly.

"Sasuke," she breathed, clinging onto him now, forgetting the book and only knowing _this_ present. There was no past or future, only this. Hinata nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck, standing on her tip-toes, as well as him pulling her up, to do it. She took in his scent, always a thing that calmed her, as well as made her blush.

After a brief moment, she pulled away with a small smile playing on her lips. She looked into his eyes, glad she saw clear and happy. It was as expressive as he got. Sasuke Uchiha wasn't one to outwardly express his emotions but his eyes said it all.

"What have you been up to?" He asked, he words monotone yet precisely said. He was in a good mood. If he hadn't been, his words would have been clipped and agitated said, as if speaking were wasting too much of his energy.

"I was going through old stuff," Hinata said honestly, then, because she knew he wanted more, and knew she wanted to give more, Hinata continued with, "And I found this book. I read it when I was little."

The barest raise of his brows. She laughed, and looped her arm through his as she began to lead him to the garden, finding this the perfect place to speak about her mother. Konoha was still warm, even in the fall, and even with her simple kimono on, she didn't feel even the little bit cold as she stepped out of the sliding door frame and went to sit on the bench. There, she gazed at the koi pond, mystified over the beautiful creatures that Sasuke had gifted to her just last year for her birthday.

"So," Sasuke said, speaking up after a moment's pause, "What is this book about?"

Hinata smiled as she turned away from looking at the pond to gaze at the Uchiha, "Oh, it was silly. My mother gave it to me the year before she passed, before Hanabi was born. It's a child's b-book," she informed him, surprised at the quiver in her voice and her stutter. A stutter she had lost the day she married Sasuke Uchiha.

"It means a lot to you, then," He realized, his lips forming a smirk as he leaned over to kiss her cheek, "You haven't stuttered in such a long time, I wondered where my little mouse had gone," he mumbled when he pulled away. She blushed bright red, like a tomato making him smile a real one, one that only meant the barest twitch at the corner of his lips. She blushed even harder, witnessing the love of her life becoming someone happy and young again. The wrinkles at his eyes lessened, his face relaxed, and for the barest of seconds, she saw that young boy she had used to meet during the all-clan's meeting. Of course, she hadn't been in love with him then. The Hyuuga had been _much_ too shy then, to even look him in the eye when he had been introduced to her.

Smiling at the memory, she nodded, deciding to ignore his 'little mouse' comment, "This book _does_ mean a lot. My mother was fascinated with Western culture, she liked the idea of a world that wasn't touched with brutality and pain, a world without Shinobi. She used to tell me stories when I was growing up, I can still recall the way she would brush my hair when she did so...," a small smile, "She gave me this book, saying to me that maybe one day we could celebrate something like that. So we could give our thanks. Only she died."

"Like what?" Sasuke prodded her to explain as he brought his hand to her hair, to comb through the long indigo locks. She smiled, pleased with the sensation.

"Well, Westerner's celebrate this thing called 'Thanksgiving'. It's like this holiday that came after these two clans came together to settle their differences, and help each other. It was where they would have a great feast each year at fall and they would speak, sharing gossip and fond memories...when my mother explained and I read the book, I wanted to do it too. I wanted to celebrate," Hinata said, smiling at Sasuke sheepishly.

"How about tonight?" He asked, sending her a mischievous glance. Eyes widening, she let out a yelp as she stood.

"Really?" She asked, feeling tears fill her eyes at the mere thought. As a child she had spent many nights thinking of something like this happening, usually they involved Naruto Uzumaki, but nonetheless, she felt that with Sasuke, this tradition could be _theirs._

"Yes, we can order the kids home, maybe get them to tell the oth-."

"No, just us," Hinata said, grinning, "Just our family. You can go get them from the training fields, their having a joint training session with each other's teams. I'll go shopping for food supplies."

Sasuke let out a low groan, "That means I have to see _him,_ and her." Hinata could see the smile in her husband's eyes when he had said the words.

"Well you haven't seen Naruto in a while and I'm sure Sakura misses you and your scowl," she said to him, then grinned when gave a her passionate kiss to the lips.

"My wife, the voice of reason," he muttered against her mouth. She gave him a quick peck before pulling away.

"Hurry! Daylight is wasting!" Hinata informed him, laughing joyously and freely as she hurriedly began to walk away.

"Fine, fine, you troublesome girl!" The only reply he got was another laugh.

* * *

_Thank You_

* * *

Sasuke walked to the training fields to retrieve his kids without making much of a sound. He could still hear his wife's beautiful resounding laugh and see her shining and brilliant smile. It was enough motivation, those gifts were precious things. When he had first met the mousy girl, she was nothing like that, nothing like the free-spirited and honest woman that he had taken as his bride, no less than fourteen years ago. It was odd how things turned out but that was a musing for another time.

Smiling a small smile, the Uchiha made his way into the forest, walking the familiar path as he, with little time taken up, entered into a clearing, the one he used to be in when he was child. At first, when he finally decided to move back into the compound with Hinata in tow, the ghosts of his family had constantly plagued him, but he had her, her who changed everything. He no longer saw the imaginary blood-shed, nor the haunting memories of interactions he had had with the people of his compound. No, he only saw Hinata smiling.

She had somehow made this unsacred lonely desolate place into a place for them to be happy with their children, Harue and Itachi. Both of them had been named after the people they most loved and regretted. Her mother and his brother. Their personalities could be said to be similar to their namesakes. Itachi was a quiet boy who excelled at everything he was needed to do and did his best to keep the peace. At the age of 13, he was well beyond his peers yet held himself back for his twin, Harue. Now, _she_ was a handful. Just like Hinata's mother was said to be, Harue loved the Earth. She was always planting something in the backyard with Hinata and despite her weak heart, she was excitable, passionate about life and did her best to make sure everyone in the room was happy, _everyone_.

The kids took after their parents in some ways, yes. Itachi had that terrible stutter when he got nervous, and Harue had the tendency to block everyone out once she got the barest hint of anger. She held on to grudges just like her daddy and Sasuke was never sure if this to be a bad thing or just another thing to love about her. But he decided for the later, for if there is one thing you should know about Sasuke Uchiha, it is that he loved his kids, and would, without a second thought, die for them.

"Daddy!" Sasuke heard Harue's voice call out as he felt a weight land upon his back.

"Hey there, darling," he greeted as he picked her off of his back and spun her around to face him. Lilac-tinted eyes met his, the Byakugan a clear trait of hers, as he set her down.

"Ta-kun was a total show-off today," Harue pouted and Sasuke released a small chuckle.

"Where is he? Your mother wants us all home for dinner tonight," he said, looking around the large vast clearing. His eyesight wasn't as good lately but after Hinata made sure he wore glasses when he needed to, at least he could recognize his son flashing up to stand in front of him.

"See! Can't he walk like a normal person?" she questioned with an eyeroll.

"Nice speed there, son," Sasuke complimented, impressed with the advancement of skill he just witnessed, "How much faster from last week? Five seconds?"

"8 seconds," Itachi informed him, his voice clear and calm as he gazed up at his father with dark black eyes, the eyes of an Uchiha. Sasuke was glad that his son's stutter only came out when he was under duress. He had seen how bad Hinata's speech impediment had been for her and couldn't wish that on his child.

"Nice," he replied, just as he felt his back was hit. Turning, he came face-to-face with Naruto Uzumaki, the Hokage. Finding himself smiling a small smile but wishing to hide it, he muttered, "Oh it's you, loser."

"Ah, my heart! You wound me so, teme!" Naruto replied, his eyes bright. They hugged briefly and as Sasuke pulled away, still wary of contact with people other than his wife, Naruto announced broadly, "It's been too long! Join us in training!"

Seemingly by chance, Naruto became the leader of the new Team 7, all consisting of his son, Itachi, and a slightly aggro villager named Kikuo-something. On the other hand, Naruto's wife, Sakura Haruno, became the leader of Team 8, in charge of Harue, an Aburame, and an Inuzuka. It was as if the past were repeating itself but surely this was a good thing. Hinata was always so passionate in her belief that the new generation would become stronger than the last, and would always bring peace. Sasuke didn't have as much faith in that ideal but it was something nice to think about.

"I can't. Hinata wants to spend some time with the kids so, if it's allowed, I'd like to take my kids back home."

"Aw, man! How 'bout just a few minutes?" Naruto begged.

"Idiot! Sasuke is obviously busy," Sakura said, smiling at Sasuke as she simultaneously shoved Naruto, sending his body deep into the Earth, leaving only his head above ground.

"Sakura!" Naruto complained, about pout, when she lifted him back out of the ground without breaking a sweat. Harue cheered at the demonstration even as Naruto groaned.

Sasuke felt his lips twitch and then he patted off Naruto, none too gently, as he said, to Sakura, "Hinata wants our family to spend some time together before the Chunnin exams."

Sakura grinned, "Would it hurt to have some guests?"

"Yes," Sasuke said bluntly, "She said, and I quote, 'Just us.'," and then because manners are a must, "Sorry."

"No," Sakura waved off his nonexistent worries, "It's fine. I saw her yesterday at Ino's shop and she was looking as if she might need some cheering up."

Sasuke nodded. He had thought the same thing yesterday morning when she greeted him with a small melancholic smile, instead of the bright grin she usually presented each morning. And the Uchiha knew why, as he had learned early on in their relationship. The fall, when the leaves begin to change color, and the air grows bitter, was when her mother had died, leaving Hanabi in her place.

"Well, tell her I said hi!"

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "Tell her that if she needs a hu-."

"She has me," Sasuke finished for his best friend with an agitated tone to his words. After all this time, long after he got the girl, he was still jealous. And this bothered him.

Sakura 'aww'ed and then punched Naruto as Sasuke called to his kids, who after they witnessed Naruto's "grounding", had gone off to say their farewells to their friends. They left not long after, and arrived back at the main house just as Hinata exited the kitchen, her waist length hair tied up in a large bun, and her wearing an apron. She looked... well, adorable.

He kissed her brow just as their kids went into the kitchen to see what they were having for dinner.

"No sushi?" Harue asked when Sasuke and Hinata followed after. In the kitchen, it seemed Hinata had several things on the stove cooking, and something smelled glorious in the oven. Despite himself, Sasuke's stomach growled.

Hinata shook her head, in reply to her daughter, with a grin, "Today is special."

"Why?" Harue asked, forever the curious type.

"Well, today was the day your grandmother left this world to go to the next," Hinata announced, surprising even Sasuke. He had never known the exact date of the former Harue's passing but for it to be this exact day, well it made sense. This morning, when she left the bed to get dressed for the day, Sasuke had sworn he saw tears in her eyes. And now he knew it hadn't been an illusion.

"So were celebrating just like we do for Uncle 'Tachi?" Harue asked, scratching at her scalp, and messing with her long silky cap of black hair.

"Yes and no," Hinata replied, "We celebrate your Uncle Itachi's birth, not his death. But today we are celebrating what my mother lived for."

"What was that?" Itachi asked, as even his curiosity was piqued, as it always was when his uncle was mentioned.

"She lived for her family and loved ones, and always treasured them. You, my precious Shinobi, are my whole world, and I want to say the words to express these feelings of mine, like she always wanted to do."

"The words?"

"Thank you."

_Thank you._


End file.
